26 Oct Why don’t you take a step up to become a social impact leader?

If you have the chance to sit down and plan, what will you be doing next year and how are you going to make the most out of a year’s time? Have you ever thought about breaking free from the ‘9 to 5’ lifestyle, and look for an opportunity to end poverty, discover what having impact means to you, learn and explore yourself to become a better leader? Do you want to have an exciting and self-rewarding experience that might as well allow you to improve the lives of the people in the developing world? No seriously, do you want to change the world?

If your answer is “yes” to the above questions, and if you are a person who have a solid business background and yet you would like to achieve something greater in your career because you have a passion in initiating positive social changes, the Acumen Fund Global Fellows Program may be the best place for you to start your journey. Unlike many international development organizations, Acumen Fund believes that “charity alone is not the answer to poverty” and the best way to eliminate poverty is by investing in market-based solutions. Acumen Fund understood the importance of leadership to provide examples and guidance. Therefore each year, Acumen Fund identifies and trains future leaders, who already possess strong business experience, through a 12-month Global Fellows Program that combines two months of multi-disciplinary leadership training in New York City with a 10-month field placement in India, Pakistan, East Africa or West Africa where each Fellow provides on-the-ground management support to one of Acumen Fund’s investee companies on the front lines of tackling global poverty. A network of individuals bringing a new model of leadership to the world through the Program is growing year by year since its establishment in 2006.

Organizations and supporters of Acumen such as the Tokyo Foundation (click here) is one of the avant-garde philanthropic organizations committed to social impact. Tokyo Foundation supports one Japanese woman fellow each year to participate in the Global Fellows Program. There should be more of such women’s leadership development programmes particularly in Asia where we are yet to see many emerging Asian women leaders. We hope that the Tokyo Foundation, as well as other foundations, will begin to support other social enterprise initiatives which is much needed, and is currently a gap in the market.

Co-founder and director of Wedu, Mario Ferro, is an alumnus of class 2011. To him, being an Acumen Fund fellow has been a very rewarding experience in his life: “Being in touch with inspiring individuals in New York and Patna, India, has been pivotal to the blossoming of Wedu. The Acumen Fund has been a cathartic experience, pivotal to the creation of Wedu. Plus it is so much fun!”. Indeed, as another member of the class of 2011 points out, “not everyone has the opportunity to spend a year in a leadership development program” and it really makes the Global Fellows Program an unique opportunity for individuals committed to social change and eager to take up challenges, and for those who are committed to generate greater social impacts. So, if you think you are moved by what the Program offers, why don’t you take a step up and dive into the world of knowing yourself and humanity better – and be an Acumen Fund fellow?

The Acumen Fund Global Fellows Program Class of 2013-2014 is now open for application. Click here to know more.

About Acumen Fund

Established in 2001 in New York, Acumen Fund is a non-profit global venture fund that uses entrepreneurial approaches to the problem of global poverty.